Bournemouth comprehensively won the battle of the European gatecrashers as a hat-trick from Dango Ouattara and strikes from Justin Kluivert and Antoine Semenyo demolished Nottingham Forest 5-0.
In-form Forest had won seven of their last eight matches to climb into in the Champions League places, but they were completely overpowered by Andoni Iraola’s free-flowing Cherries side.
When these sides fought out a 1-1 draw on the opening day of the season, few would have predicted both would be in the European shake-up – or, in Forest’s case, an outside bet for the title – by the end of January.
Forest can probably forget about catching leaders Liverpool now, fun though it was while it lasted.
But their fellow Premier League upstarts Bournemouth are now on the brink of joining them in the top four after registering a fifth win in six matches, while stretching their unbeaten record to 11, with a scintillating display.
They went ahead after only nine minutes when Kluivert collected the ball, from a Cherries throw-in, just inside his own half.
Kluivert spun away from a challenge on the halfway line and, with Forest’s defenders backing off, strode forward.
The Dutchman – brimming with confidence following his hat-trick in the 4-1 win at Newcastle last weekend – was allowed to get to within 20 yards of goal and pinged a superb shot low beyond the dive of Matz Sels.
It was Kluivert’s sixth goal in his last four matches and his 12th of the season.
Forest almost hit back immediately when Ryan Yates tried one from long range but Kepa Arrizabalaga tipped the ball around his right-hand post.
But Bournemouth were a menace every time they went forward and Ryan Christie saw a swerving shot blocked by Sels before the Forest keeper had to tip
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